The man from uncle

HE TELLS the story of throwing a tennis ball to a four-year-old and watching a future Grand Slam champion returning it. That's how sure Toni Nadal was that there was some genius in his nephew.

Since that day, they have formed a formidable partnership. One which has garnered Rafael Nadal four French Open victories and a long-standing place at No.2 in the world rankings. It has also earned him another tilt at the Wimbledon title this afternoon.

But having been an integral part of his nephew's progression to the sport's higher echelons, this afternoon will be torture for Toni.

The 22-year-old may be in relaxed mood in the build up, and insists he always feels calm on court, but his uncle enjoys no such luxury. But having gone their separate ways – Nadal to the locker room, his uncle to the Players' Box to watch his protege – for Toni there is only emotional turmoil.

"I am never relaxed watching him, I am always worried. This tournament is quite important for us and it is difficult for me to be relaxed. I don't play every shot for him but I do play some shots and after the match I must go for the shower!

"I don't want to get down on the court because he is so much better than me but if he is on the court then sometimes I speak, and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I speak a little too much. But I am 40 years old and I don't like to go behind the umpire's back. But I would like to say what I want to say. Because I am the coach I come from Majorca all the way over here and if I am to be allowed to be a coach I must say something."

That instinct has attracted controversy in the past. The ATP tour does not permit coaching from the sidelines during a match and Toni's tendency to ignore the ruling in the past has incurred the wrath of players, including this afternoon's opponent, Roger Federer.

That was over a year ago, during a Masters final in Rome. "He was coaching a little too much again. Yeah, I caught him in the act," said Federer at the time. "I have told him (Toni Nadal] many times already. But it seems like they don't keep a close enough eye on him."

Rafael Nadal, though, fails to see the reasoning behind the ruling.

"I think it is an ancient rule, and life has changed now. Maybe the people have to change the rules because some players pay their coach a lot of money and the same coach goes to Australia, and I don't know where, and for him to go there and have nothing to say and nothing to do makes no sense."

But, for Toni, it has never been about the money. Seeing his nephew add the Wimbledon title to his French Open wins could not, he says, be bettered by a pay cheque, which he refuses to take for coaching family.

"If I earn money from him then he becomes my boss. For the player and for me it is much better that the player is not my boss. I think sometimes the problem with these guys is that they are the boss.

"When his father told me 'you must do this' I told him I didn't want anything, because I want to be able to say what I want."

But having kindled the talent of an aspiring youngster has its plus sides as well as its downsides, acknowledges Toni. "It is difficult to be a coach when you are family, not just the coach. My interest is so much more, you know. When Rafa lost a match he may lose only a match, but maybe in my head I think Rafa will not be so good, and I come down too hard on him, and it is not so good for the player. But it was good for Rafael to have an uncle, because my interest was very good. I worked on Sunday, Christmas day, if it is raining I go 50km to train elsewhere. Another coach maybe not do this. But sometimes because we were on family I was too hard."

There have always been exacting standards. There was an early warning that no on-court temper tantrums would be tolerated. To this day he has never smashed a racquet. "I know now Rafael has all the shoes and the racquets now, but for me it is terrible if he breaks a racquet for there are so many people who can't afford to buy a racquet or a pair of shoes. For me the respect for the things and the life is the most important thing. I was a very hard coach, sometimes too much."

But it was because he knew there was talent there to be nurtured. "I was the uncle and it was so much easier for me to be working with my nephew as soon as I realised that Rafa was going to be good. If I thought that Rafael would turn out not to be good then I would not keep going to work. For example I have my son who is now four years old and I don't believe it with my son. With him it is better to go to the beach on Sundays. He is interested but I don't think he will be so good. Because I saw that Rafa could be good I immediately wanted to work him hard. I threw him the ball and he had a very good swing at the ball, and I thought this guy has a good talent."

At every age group he has vindicated that faith, winning the under-12 Balearics championship while still only eight. "He was temperamental, but when Rafael was young some things were important for me, one was discipline, second was to have a smile on his face. Always to smile, for me that is very, very important. To learn it is so much easier when you are happy. Sometimes he says something about the ball, or comments about the racquet, but I always say you must play with what you have."

Among the impressive arsenal is the big-gun muscles. But that was more genetic luck than gym-based design, he insists.

"I don't like the physical, I like the ball and when Rafael was 12, 13, 14 he didn't have that much time. He went to school and played for three hours, that for me was better to spend on the court than to go to the gym. When he was 17 or something he did some things, but never too much. But when you saw my brother, the football player (Miguel Angel Nadal], he was physically strong and a natural athlete."

Which is why he refuses to write off the challenge Andy Murray and others could pose to Rafa as they catch up physically. "He could overtake him, because I think Andy Murray is one of the best players in the world. Andy Murray is 21 years old and every year he is getting better. Rafael had four years at No 2 so it is normal that whether it is this year or next year that the likes of (Novak] Djokovic or Murray could move up. Murray is one of the best and I think he has the possibilities to go very high.

"Of course we want to be better every year but the same goes for Murray: I am sure Murray wants to get better too. Already he has a very good touch, he has a good serve, and he has intelligence on the court. He is only 21 years old, so when somebody asks who has possibilities to get better – although I don't know when and it might not happen – Murray is one of these players.

At the moment, though, the focus is on what's in front, not the chasing pack. Ahead is Roger Federer and he is the only thing standing between the Nadals and their Wimbledon dream.